AI isn't just about helping white-collar workers become more productive. It also supports white-collar criminals.
Humanity said in a report Wednesday that it detected and thwarted cybercriminals attempting to perform hacks using the startup's AI tool Claude.
AI has been used in hacking efforts for many years, but humanity means that technological advances are being used to carry out cyberattacks throughout operations.
“Agent AI is weaponized,” the startup said.
The suite of human claud coding tools is widely used in the world of technology, including meta.
They can help beginner coders create software using simple prompts or help more experienced software engineers become more productive. The same applies to cybercrime, according to an Anthropic report.
Humanity said that AI means that hackers can instruct tools like Claude to write malicious code, meaning they no longer need the same level of technical expertise, and that it describes it as “atmosphere hacking.”
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In one example, cybercriminals used claud codes to “convict large-scale theft and fear tor of personal data” and tried to force the victim to pay to prevent data from leaking. Hackers used Claude to reconnaissance on targets, generating attack automation, ransom fee calculations, and “visually astounding ransom notes.”
In another example, Cybercriminal used Claude to develop ransomware. Ransomware is a type of software that encrypts target files and requests payments to unlock them. Humanity said Cybercriminal sold ransomware packages on its internet forums for up to $1,200.
“Without Claude's assistance, they could not implement or troubleshoot the core malware components,” Humanity said of the hackers, adding that they banned related accounts and reported them to the related parties.
Humanity said it shares its findings so that other researchers and organizations can “enhance their own defenses against the abuse of AI systems.” He also added that it has implemented a new method of detecting misuse of tools.
The Amazon-backed startup is in talks to raise about $5 billion in funding at a $170 billion valuation, Business Insider reported earlier this month.
